Gravity actuated valves for pressurized dispensers



A. J. SAMUEL Jan. 17, 1961 GRAVITY ACTUATED VALVES FOR PRESSURIZED DISPENSERS Filed Feb. 26, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR flAR/t/KJM/Vz/EL,

ill-i 1 a l III/l/Ill/lg ATTORNEY Jan. 17, 1961 A. J. SAMUEL GRAVITY ACTUATED VALVES FOR PRESSURIZED DISPENSERS Filed Feb. 2s, 1.959

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY United States Patent GRAVITY ACTUATED VALVES FOR PRES- SURIZED DISPENSERS Arthur J. Samuel, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Gulf Research & Development Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 26, 1959, Ser. No. 795,758

11 Claims. (Cl. 222-394) This invention relates to improvements in gravity actuated valves for pressurized dispensers, the purpose of such a valve being to control a supplementary inlet leading into the eduction passageway near the top of the dispenser, thereby permitting the contents to be discharged in the inverted position of the dispenser, as in its upright position, without wasteful lossof the pressuring gas. More particularly, the invention comprises a slidable valve member which is guided in movement along a fixed body constituting a part of the eduction passageway and which seats by gravity upon the orifice'of the supplementary inlet to seal it against substantial leakage of gas when the dispenser is upright, but which also has suificiently'large clearance from the fixed part to avoid its binding. thereon as it moves to cover and uncover the orifice, notwithstanding that'one of the valve parts may be of plastic and hence susceptible to swelling when immersed in liquid.

' This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 732,082, filed April 30, 1958', now abandoned.

Hand held dispensers for wet sprays and aerosols are intended to be discarded when emptied and for that reason they are necessarily of inexpensive construction. Such a dispenser essentially comprises a can body having a finger-pressed discharge valve at the top from which an eduction tube extends and dips into the contents.

Plastic eduction tubes have largely replaced metal ones, for they can be cut from long coiled lengths of the flexible tubing, whereas many relatively short lengths of straight metal tube would he required to produce the same number of parts, with greater waste in trim and higher labor cost in handling. In the interest of low unit cost of these dispensers and high rate of production, plastics are also increasingly replacing other metal parts where substitution is possible.

A principal disadvantage of nylon and other plastics for use in dispensers and particularly for the interfitting .parts thereof is that they swell when wetted both by aqueous solutions and many organic solutions. This characteristic has precluded the use of such material for slidable valves, for these have heretofore comprised a close fitting sleeve which slides along the eduction passageway and moves across a. lateral port with a wiping action. Such valves require that large contiguous areas of the fixed. and movable parts. have such little spacing as. to be virtually in contact in order to prevent excessive escape of gas. Thus, tolerances must be maintained with precision in order that the permissible clearance shall not exceed about 00015 inch. As a consequence, any slight swelling of either part would. cause the. movable part or slider to stick and so destroy the eitectiveness of the valve. In the present valve, however, the clearance between the inside diameter of the slider and the outside diameter of the fixed body part to which it is opposed close fit of the parts quantity production may be increased.

It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide a slideable valve member which seats upon and seals an upwardly presented orifice in a mating, fixed valve part or body, the slidable member having su'flicient clearance between it and the fixed valve part to enable it to move freely notwithstanding that one of the mating parts is made of nylon or other plastic and is subject to swelling in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings, in which Figure l is a longitudinal sectional view of a pressure discharge type dispenser wherein the slidable valve is shown in its relationship to the conventional parts of such a dispenser.

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the slidable valve shown in Figure 1, wherein the adapter constitutes the fixed part of the valve and the movable valve member is seated thereon, the figure showing the connection of the adapter to the body of the fingerpressed discharge valve to which it is fitted.

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a form of slidable valve wherein the slider is of frus-to-conical shape.

Figure 5 is a plan view of another form of. slidable member.

Figure 6 is a cross section of the slidablemember shown in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a plan view of yet: another form of slidable member. Figure 8 is a cross section of the slidable member shown in Figure 7 Dispensers with which this invention is adapted for use are discharged under pressure through a tube or eduction passageway which dipsint'o the contents which are to be discharged. When the passageway is opened to atmosphere by manual actuation of a discharge valve the higher pressure of gas within the dispenser-forces the liquid or other fluent contents through the eduction passageway from its submerged lower end. The manual valve may be any one of a number which are available, such as that shown for purposesof illustration in Figure 1 wherein a finger piece 10 which is formed with a nozzle orifice 11 is joined to a hollow stem 12 and when depressed against the resistance of spring 13 flexes a washer 14'to uncover a side port in the stem and thus opens the passage for discharge; The body 15 of the discharge valve is permanently carried by the top 16: of the dispenser and includes'a downwardly extending nipple of reduced diameter onto which, in prior dispensers, the eduction tube 17 is fitted;

In the present invention a slidable. valve is interposed between the nipple of the discharge valve and the educti'on tube. The slidable valve comprises an ad'apter'18, or fixed tubular member, which may be of a molded plastic such as nylon and therefore is lessexpensive than metal, and a cooperating movable member 19. The adapter is formed with a circumferential shoulder" 20 upon which the movable valve member rests. A branch 21 ofthe eduction passageway leads from the axial bore 22 of the adapter to the upper surface of the shoulder, such branch passage constituting a second inlet totheeduc'tion-pas'sageway spaced from its open end' and at the opposite end of the dispenser. The bore 22 extends axially through the adapter body from aprojec'ting nipple portion 2.3 at its lower end to its upper end'in which a counterboreof larger diameter provides a socket for receiving the projecting end of'the discharge. valve body. It will be understood, however, that the body: IS-of'the" discharge. va ve and the adapter 18 may be in one piece and of such diameter as will enable the slider to be entered thereon and positioned before the unitary body is secured in the receptacle top.

The movable valve member or slider 19 is herein shown as an annulus which loosely surrounds the upper tubular part of the adapter and seats upon the shoulder 20 to cover the orifice in the branch passage 21. Since the movable member seals the orifice when seated on the shoulder and uncovers it by moving away from the seat, a close tolerance need not be maintained in the spacing of the movable and fixed parts, as would be the case where a radial port is covered and uncovered in the sliding movement of a sleeve across it. Thus, since the clearance is not critical, being of the order of 0.012 inch, manufacturing expense is reduced, both because the slider may be made from a section of brass tubing of only approximate fit and also because the adapter may be made of nylon which is cheaper thana similarly shaped metal part, with no machining of the parts required to produce a leakproof seal,- their spacing being initially sufiiciently great to avoid sticking of the slider notwithstanding that the plastic body of the adapter may be expected to swell in use.

Effective sealing of the branch passage 21 is enhanced by providing a narrow annular seat 24 encircling the orifice and raised from the surface of the shoulder 20. Nubs 25 which also project from the shoulder to the same height as the ringlike projection 24 level the seated slider.

An alternative form of slidable valve is shown in Figure 4. Here the movable member or slider comprises a flaring skirt portion 26 of frusto-conical form which depends from a cylindrical collar 27. The slider is loosely carried on a fixed tubular body 28 which is secured at its upper end in the boss or turret 29 in the top of the dispensing receptacle and which has a nipple 30 at its lower end for attachment of an eduction tube. Above the nipple 30 the body 28 is formed with an enlarged frusto-conical shoulder 31, the upper surface of which conforms in angular inclination to that of the skirt portion 26 of the slider. A branch passageway 32 extends from the main eduction passageway 33 laterally through the shoulder 31 and terminates at an orifice in the frusto-conical surface of the shoulder where it will be covered by the seated slider. For maximum sealing efficiency a narrow raised annulus 34 surrounding the orifice in the shoulder constitutes a seating surface of small contact area against which the slider rests in its lower position, and a projecting nub 35 on the shoulder positions the slider so that it is axially centered on the body 28 when in position to seal the branch passageway.

Inasmuch as the upper portion of the valve body 28, namely from its upper end to the enlarged shoulder 31, is of smaller diameter than the central opening in the slider, the slider may he slipped upon it in the initial assembly and the assembled unit then be secured in the boss 29 of the receptacle, thus obviating an added assembly step which is required when an adapter is employed, and further reducing manufacturing cost.

. Figures and 6 respectively show a modified form of slider in plan and cross section. This comprises a collar portion 36 which is guided on the tubular body of the adapter and a circumferential flange portion 37 which seats over the orifice of the branch passage 21.

Another modified form of slider is shown in Figures 7 and 8 which are, respectively, plan and cross sectional views. In these the slider 38 has a collar and circumferential flange as in Figures 5 and 6, and additionally is formed with a depending skirt 39 which fits down around the edge of the adapter shoulder 20 and thereby assists in guiding the slider as it approaches its seat.

While the invention has been illustrated and described hereinabove in connection with various illustrative examples and details, it will be understood that the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the minor structural details illustrated, but may be variously embodied within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A gravity actuated valve for pressurized dispensers which permits the dispenser to be discharged without wasteful loss of gas in its upright as well as inverted positions through an eduction passageway which has both a lower inlet at its end adjacent the bottom of the dispenser and a valve controlled inlet adjacent the top of the dispenser, the valve controlling the inlet adjacent the top of the dispenser comprising a fixed tubular part of the eduction passageway which is formed with an upwardly facing horizontal surface, said fixed part formed with a branch of said eduction passageway terminating in an orifice at said horizontal surface, said valve also comprising a slidable member encircling said fixed part and guided in movement thereon to seat by gravity on the upwardly facing horizontal surface of said fixed part, thereby sealing the orifice of the branch passageway when the dispenser is upright, said slidable member falling away from said orifice to uncover the same when the dispenser is inverted and the orifice is submerged.

2. A slidable valve for admitting the contents of a pressurized dispenser into the eduction passageway thereof when the dispenser is inverted, but sealing the passageway against wasteful escape of the pressuring gas when the dispenser is upright, such valve being located in the upper part of the dispenser and comprising a tubular body which constitutes a part of the eduction passageway, said body having an upwardly facing seating surface for a movable valve member, a valve member guided for sliding movement on said tubular body above the seating surface thereon, said tubular body further being formed with a branch passage which terminates at the seating surface in an orifice, the movable valve member being adapted to cover and seal the orifice when the dispenser is upright and the orifice is above the level of the dispenser contents but to fall away from the orifice to uncover it when the dispenser is inverted and the orifice is submerged.

3. A slidable valve for admitting the contents of a pressurized dispenser into the eduction passageway thereof when the dispenser is inverted, but sealing the passageway against wasteful escape of pressuring gas when the dlspenser is upright, such valve being located in the upper part of the dispenser and comprising a tubular body constituting a part of the eduction passageway, a laterally projecting shoulder on said body, which shoulder has an upwardly presented seating surface for a movable valve member, said tubular body being formed with a branch passageway which terminates at the seating surface in an orifice, and a movable valve member havmg an undersurface which covers the orifice and seals the same when the dispenser is upright but which falls away from the orifice to uncover it when the dispenser is inverted.

4. A slidable valve for admitting the contents of a pressurized dispenser into the eduction passageway thereof when the dispenser is inverted, but sealing the passageway against wasteful escape of the pressuring gas when the dispenser is upright, such valve being located in the upper part of the dispenser and comprising a tubular body of molded plastic constituting a part of the eduction passageway, said body being formed with a shoulder which has an upwardly facing seating surface for a movable valve member, an annular valve member loosely encircling said tubular body above the shoulder thereof and guided by said tubular body in sliding movement therealong, said tubular body further being formed with a branch passage which terminates at the surface of the shoulder in an orifice spaced in radial direction from the tubular body, the annular movable valve member having a flat undersurface which covers the orifice and seals the same when the dispenser is upright and the orifice is above the level of the dispenser contents but which falls away from the orifice to uncover it when the dispenser is inverted and the orifice is submerged.

5. A slidabie valve for admitting the contents of a pressurized dispenser into the eduction passageway thereof when the dispenser is inverted, but sealing the passageway against wasteful escape of the pressuring gas when the dispenser is upright, sucn vaive being located in the upper part of the dispenser and comprising an adapter to be interposed between the body of a manually actuated discharge valve at the topof the dispenser and an eduction tube which extends into the bottom part of the dispenser, said adapter being formed with a fluid passage extending axially thereof from a nipple at its lower end to an enlarged socket at its upper end into which the end of the discharge valve body is inserted in assembly, the adapter having a circumferential shoulder which provides a seating surface for a movable valve member, a branch passage leading from the axial passage in said adapter to the surface of said shoulder and terminating in an orifice in the shoulder which is laterally spaced from such axial passage, an annular valve member loosely encircling the body of the adapter and seating on said shoulder to cover the orifice of the branch passage when the dispenser is upright, said annular valve member being guided by the body of said adapter for limited sliding movement therealong to uncover said orifice when the dispenser is inverted and to cover and seal the same when the dispenser is upright.

6. In a pressurized dispenser wherein the body of a manually actuated discharge valve connects within the dispenser to a tube which dips into the contents to be discharged and which constitutes with the valve body an eduction passageway leading from the bottom of the dispenser to the discharge valve at its top, the improvement comprising a valved adapter interposed between the discharge valve body and tube, said adapter having a main and branch passage therein constituting part of the eduction passageway, said adapter further being formed with a laterally projecting shoulder having an upwardly facing surface which is intersected by the branch passage thereby providing an orifice at a point laterally spaced from the main passage, an annular valve member slidably mounted on the adapter for longitudinal movement toward and away from the upwardly facing surface of said shoulder and in substantially parallel relation thereto, the undersurface of said annular valve member being adapted to cover and seal the orifice in said shoulder when the dispenser is upright but to fall away therefrom when the dispenser is inverted.

7. In a pressurized dispenser having an eduction passageway extending to adjacent its bottom, which eduction passageway has an open end serving as a first inlet therein in the bottom part of the dispenser and which has a valve controlled second inlet therein adjacent the top of the dispenser, the improvement comprising a tubular part of the eduction passageway which is formed with a branch passage constituting the second inlet, said tubular part having a circumferential shoulder which presents a substantially horizontal top surface at which the branch passage terminates in an orifice spaced fromthe axis of said tubular part, an annular valve member slidably mounted on said tubular part and loosely guided thereby, said annular valve member having its undersurface adapted to seat on said shoulder and to cover the orifice of the branch passage when the dispenser is upright but to move away from the shoulder in substantially parallel relation thereto when the dispenser is inverted, thereby to uncover the orifice and open the second said inlet. t

8. A slidable valve for admitting the contents of a pressurized dispenser into the eduction passageway thereof when the dispenser is inverted but sealing the passageway against wasteful escape of pressuring gas when the dispenser is upright, such valve being located in the upper part of the dispenser and comprising a body extending into the dispenser and having a bore which constitutes a part of the eduction passageway, a laterally projecting shoulder on said body within the dispenser, a valve slidably mounted on said body and guided thereby to seat on said shoulder when the dispenser is in upright position but to fall away therefrom when the dispenser is inverted, and a branch passageway in the body leading from the bore thereof to the surface of said shoulder upon which said valve seats, such branch passageway being covered and sealed by said valve in the upright position of the dispenser but uncovered when the dispenser is inverted.

9. In a pressurized dispenser having an eduction passageway leading from adjacent the bottom of the dispensing receptacle to a manually operated discharge valve at its top, a valve controlling a port through which the material to be dispensed is admitted to the eduction passageway near the top of the receptacle when the receptacle is inverted but sealing the port against wasteful escape of pressuring gas when the receptacle is upright, said valve comprising a body formed with a flow passage which constitutes part of the eduction passageway, a laterally extending shoulder on said body which provides a seating surface for a movable valve member, said valve body having a branch passage leading from the flow passage thereinto the aforesaid seating surface, a movable valve member mounted on said valve body for limited sliding movement therealong and seating on the shoulder thereof to cover and seal the branch passage therein when the dispensing receptacle is upright and to uncover the same when the dispensing receptacle is inverted.

10. A slidable valve for admitting the contents of a pressurized dispenser into the eduction passageway thereof when the dispenser is inverted but sealing the passageway against wasteful escape of pressuring gas when the dispenser is upright, said valve comprising a body located in the upper part of the dispenser and formed with the fluid flow passage extending therethrough, a circumlferential shoulder on said -body providing a seating, surface for a movable valve member, said body having a branch passage therein leading from the fluid flow passage to the surface of said shoulder and terminating in an orifice which is laterally spaced from the aforesaid fiow passage, an annular valve member encircling the body and seating on the circumferential shoulder thereof to cover and seal the orifice of the branch passage when the dispenser is upright, said annular valve member being guided by the body for limited sliding movement therealong to uncover said orifice when the dispenser is inverted.

11. A slidable valve for admitting the contents of a pressurized dispenser into the eduction passageway thereof when the dispenser is inverted, but sealing the passageway against wasteful escape of pressuring gas when the dispenser is upright, such valve being located in the upper part of the dispenser and comprising a tubular body constituting a part of the eduction passageway, a laterally projecting shoulder on said body, which shoulder has a frusto-conical seating surface for a movable valve member, said tubular body being formed with a branch passageway which terminates at the seating surface in an orifice, and a movable valve member having a frusto-conical undersurface which covers the orifice and seals the same when the dispenser is upright but which falls away from the orifice to uncover it when the dispenser is inverted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,682,356 Allen June 29, 1954 2,793,794 Samuel May 28, 1957 2,815,889 Stetz et a1 Dec. 10, 1957 

